Club Driving Turnout for People's Climate March

Sierra Club volunteers and staff are making a sensational effort to assure that our members and supporters will turn out in force for the People's Climate March on September 21 in New York City. Their hard work means that on that day, we'll show the world that a broad, diverse grassroots movement wants strong action now on climate.

It's impossible to do a brief list without overlooking looking many individuals' hard work, and thanks are due to all who are working to make the upcoming march the largest climate action event in history. But I want to share a few highlights from Sierra Club organizing representative Christine Guhl of the Club's grassroots efforts to engage a new generation of activists:

"A big shout out to Team Virginia for their community outreach events for the climate march. The rockstar team of staff and volunteers in Virginia has planned six community outreach events to engage new volunteers for climate march recruitment. On top of these social events and planning sessions and info sessions, Team Virginia is hosting a climate action weekend workshop on August 23 and 24." [Christine notes that Team VA has set an ambitious goal of recruiting at least 750 activists.]

"Team Long Island has been a bastion of student leadership in organizing for the climate march. David Alicea has done a great job engaging student leaders now to help plan for recruitment when the semester starts. Long Island students are reaching out to their friends via email and social media to do campus events as soon as the semester starts."

"Team Massachusetts has a great student leader from Northeastern University doing a lot of heavy lifting for the statewide recruitment team. Nelya Meystelman has taken on pulling together volunteer leaders for the state team, engaging other students from New England and planning community outreach events."

"Team New Jersey welcomes student outreach coordinator, Bernadette Schery. Bernadette is a New Jersey City University student who is an expert at recruiting and engaging volunteers from her campus."

New Jersey Chapter Outreach Coordinator Nicole Dallara said that Club activists there have been involved in activities such as tabling, arranging for climate happy hours and coffees, and collaborating with other organizations to recruit turnout for the march.

New York City-based Sierra Club organizer Dan Sherrell noted that well over 100 activists have engaged in outreach efforts and passed out flyers at subway stations and farmers' markets, and also collaborated with churches, labor unions and others to help bring their members out to the march.

Sierra Club national board member Robin Mann of the Pennsylvania Chapter lauded that state's successful collaboration between local Sierra Club group leaders and volunteers with the national Beyond Coal campaign. Calling Pennsylvania statewide recruitment efforts "a model of team organizing," Robin also praised the help provided by weekly conference calls and online tools from staff members Becki Clayborn, Liz Pallato and others.

Other Sierra Club leaders and organizers from across the country have worked tirelessly to recruit new activists around the People's Climate March, and to help arrange transportation options. I have no doubt we'll see the results not only on September 21 in New York, but in our crucial movement-building efforts to come. Thanks to all. I look forward to seeing you in NYC!

David Scott, a life-time member of the Sierra Club and a longtime environmental activist, served as the Sierra Club's president from 2013 to 2015.